It’s time to transition, but then, when isn’t it time to transition?

Some time ago, I was reading the local newspaper and arrived at the letters to the editor section of the paper. In one of the letters, a person was lamenting how much Red Wing has changed. The writer had left the city for about 30 years, and upon returning, was shocked how much the city had changed. Well … duh! What did you expect? To be driving on gravel roads in the downtown area? The city transitioned over the years to be the inviting, historically beautiful and welcoming city it is today.

So, let us mention a few other transitions we experience on our journeys.

Are we the same person we were as a teenager? Or, as a 20- or 30-something? Obviously not! Our physical state is different due the aging process. That process can be positive or negative, right? We are more experienced at a latter age, and have hopefully gained some knowledge and concern for our communities. We might be on a career path that will lead to self fulfillment. Many of us start a family — now, there’s a transition! Maybe we have a different circle of friends or work colleagues. Change is all around us.

I expect you have transitioned to wearing different clothes than the type you wore as a youngster. Also, I expect we are all eating some different foods than those we ate growing up. Our physical activities may have transitioned, also. Instead of playing a sport, most of us are now watching that sport or maybe even watching our children or grandchildren play the sport. You see folks, our sense of what’s important changes over the years.

What was important in each decade of our life has morphed over the years. A lot of that is because the safety net of our parents or relatives changed or is gone. Now, we are the responsible element in not only our lives, but the lives of others.

For me, a huge transition was when I became interested in the world of wine. Being a novice was difficult. There were so many new words to learn, so many wines to taste, so many vineyards to visit, and so many books to read to educate myself. Not all transitions are easy. Think back to school when, maybe, you had to transition from everyday math to algebra. That was s startling revelation for me.

Now back to beverages. While learning about wine, I soon realized there was a beer world out there and a whiskey world, as well. Please remember, I was a very introverted farm boy in my youth. However, while studying, learning and discussing the subjects with people, the doors of the spirit world opened to me.

Naturally, there was just a bit of sampling as I walked through those doors!

Everything transitions. The seasons, ourselves, the world around us, our friends and family, our jobs, our likes and dislikes, etc..

Even our country transitions. We are a county of immigrants. Everybody or their ancestors came to this country from somewhere else. Everybody! Today, we believe in our Constitution as the bedrock of our society. We are a country based on the rule of law and the right to liberty and justice for all. There are those who would like to turn our democracy into a dictatorship — that is one transition we cannot let happen.

As you walk or ride along your path, notice the beauty and the possibilities of the transitions taking place around you. If you have an issue with a transition, have a meeting to discuss the outcomes and possibilities of something different. Gosh! That means you would be part of a transition.

Is it time for a transition to occur in your life? Only you can answer that question. Just don’t be afraid to ask, “What if…?” in any conversation.

May your way be filled with meaningful transitions.

As always, eat and drink in moderation, but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!